From: Sensor-based assessment of social isolation in community-dwelling older adults: a scoping review
Study (author and year) | Study location | Population sample | Definition of SI from study | Self-reported measure of SI | Type of sensor technology | Study’s conclusion |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Martinez et al. [28], 2017 | Mexico | 7 participants between 60–74 years old, 2 M and 5 F | The lack of contact and interaction with others | LSNS | Motion sensor: Sensor beacons Smartphone: mobile applications | The predictive model demonstrated 100% accuracy for determining the level of SI in a 7 person sample |
Schrempft et al. [29], 2019 | UK | 267 participants aged 50+, 136 M and 131 F | The absence of regular contact with family and friends and lack of involvement in social organizations | Unique scale created for study | Actigraphy: wrist-mounted accelerometer (triaxial actigraph) | A higher level of SI correlates with lower level of physical activity and a higher level of sedentary behaviours |
Tully et al. [30], 2019 | Denmark, Spain, Germany, UK | 1360 participants 65+ years old across 4 countries; 517 M and 843 F | The quantitative measure of social relationships and contacts | LSNS-6 | Actigraphy: hip-mounted accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X+) | Physical activity was not associated with SI. Sedentary behaviours may be linked to SI in older adults. Sedentary behaviours and physical activity were found to be not significant predictors of loneliness |
De Koning et al. [31], 2019 | UK | 112 participants 65+ years old living across 23 rural villages or isolated dwellings in Wiltshire, South West England. 54 M and 58 F | Infrequent social contact | Social Capital Module (SCM) – 3 items based on SI | Actigraphy: waist-mounted Actigraph (GT3X) | There were no associations between loneliness, SI and objectively measured physical activity |
Herbolsheimer et al. [32], 2017 | Germany | 1162 participants 65+ years old from 1 city who were German speaking, not institutionalized, and not using a wheelchair, 665 M and 497 F | Restricted social networks; a perceived lack of social support by family, friends, and neighbours | LSNS-6 | Actigraphy: leg-mounted accelerometer (ActivPAL single-axis accelerometer) | Low indoor physical activity was associated with being socially isolated from family and low outdoor physical activity was associated with being socially isolated from friends and neighbours |
Goonawardene et al. [33], 2017 | Singapore | 46 participants between 60 and 91 years old, mostly of Chinese descent (87%), in Singapore. 19 M and 27 F | A lack of interpersonal contacts with society | LSNS | Motion sensor: passive infrared (PIR) motion sensors | The average time spent outside home is associated with the social loneliness level, social network score and the overall SI level of the elderly and the time spent in the living room is positively associated with the emotional loneliness level |
McCrory et al. [34], 2014 | Ireland | 4888 participants 50+ years old, 2242 males and 2646 females | Lack of social connectedness or social support | Berkman Social Network Index | Physiological sensor: electrocardiography | There is a negative association between social network size and resting heart rate |
Benson et al. [35], 2020 | USA | 759 participants aged 58–85. 356 M and 403 F | Lack of contact with others, measured through self-report and objective measures of social connections | SI (expanded version of social disconnectedness score by Cornwell and Waite for the NSHAP study; 9 variables) | Actigraphy: wrist-mounted actigraph (Actiwatch Spectrum), | SI and loneliness had a low correlation to each other. Both were associated with actigraph measures of more disrupted sleep (wake after sleep onset, % sleep) but not associated with actigraph total sleep time. Increased loneliness associated with more insomnia symptoms and shorter sleep duration (assessed by single question); SI was not. More isolated individuals spend longer time in bed |